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Minimizing the Ground Effect for Photophoretically Levitating Disks

Zhipeng Lu1,2,*, Miranda Stern2, Jinqiao Li3, David Candia2, Lorenzo Yao-Bate2,4, Thomas J. Celenza2, Mohsen Azadi5, Matthew F. Campbell2, and Igor Bargatin2

  • 1Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
  • 2Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
  • 3Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
  • 4Department of Physics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
  • 5Singh Center for Nanotechnology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

  • *zplu@seas.upenn.edu
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Phys. Rev. Applied 19, 044004 – Published 3 April, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.19.044004

Abstract

Photophoretic levitation is a propulsion mechanism by which lightweight objects can be lifted and controlled through their interactions with light. Since photophoretic forces on macroscopic objects are usually maximized at low pressures, they may be tested in a vacuum chamber in close proximity to the chamber floor and walls. We report experimental evidence that the terrain under levitating microflyers, including the chamber floor or the launchpad from which the microflyer lifts off, can greatly increase the photophoretic lift forces relative to their free-space (midair) values. To characterize this so-called “ground effect” during vacuum-chamber tests, we introduce a miniature launchpad composed of three J-shaped (candy-cane-like) wires that minimize the microflyer’s extraneous interactions with the underlying surfaces. We compare our J-shaped-wire launchpad with previously used wire-mesh launchpads for simple levitating Mylar-based disks with diameters of 2, 4, and 8 cm. Importantly, we discover that wire-mesh launchpads increase the photophoretic lift force by up to sixfold. A significant ground effect is also associated with the bottom of the vacuum chamber, particularly when the distance to the bottom surface is less than the diameter of the levitating disk. We provide guidelines to minimize the ground effect in vacuum-chamber experiments, which are necessary to test photophoretic microflyers intended for high-altitude exploration and surveillance on Earth or on Mars.

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Phys. Rev. Applied 19, 044004– Published 3 April, 2023
  • Received 13 September 2022
  • Revised 20 February 2023
  • Accepted 23 February 2023
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